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ICE GRIFFS SCORE EARLY, HALT ARMY, 8-4

Canisius scored five times in the opening period and David Deeves added two later goals as the Ice Griffs overpowered Army, 8-4, Friday night in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Hockey League game at Buffalo State.

Jason Spencer, Kyle Allen, Tom Wnuk, Todd Bisson and Chris Duggan had goals in the opening period as Canisius built a 5-2 lead. Deeves scored twice in the third and Steve Birch added a third-period tally as the Griffs improved to 15-10-3 with their fifth straight victory and 12-8-3 in the MAAC. Army is 11-17, 11-14 in the MAAC.

Stephen Fabiilli had 16 saves for Canisius.

Canisius will face Iona in a MAAC game today at 2 at Buffalo State.

Elsewhere, Air Force goalie Marc Kielkucki made 45 saves en route to a 5-2 victory over Niagara at the Dwyer Arena in Lewiston. The outcome snapped a four-game AFA losing streak and ended NU's chances of finishing first in College Hockey America. Thomas Clayton and Bernie Sigrist scored for the Purple Eagles (13-16-4, 10-5-2 in CHA).

Mike Lutza (Cheektowaga) scored on a partial breakaway with 10:56 left for the go-ahead goal in Erie Community College's 8-5 victory over Hudson Valley in a NJCAA Region III playoff game at Buffalo State. Kevin Shields (Hutch-Tech) and C.J. Hall (Amherst) each had a pair of goals for the Kats.

Daemen's Dave Skolen was named Coach of the Year in the Northeast Atlantic Conference. Senior Monica Mihalics was a first-team all-conference pick while junior Crystal DeRosa and sophomore Adrienne Welka (North Tonawanda) were second-team choices. Jennifer Stuczynski (Fredonia) of Roberts Wesleyan was a first-team pick. Houghton's Lesley Swanson (Sherman) was honorable mention.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Tom Williams scored 25 points to lead No. 1 seed Cortland past Fredonia, 60-49, in the semifinals of the SUNYAC Tournament in Utica. Matt Moore had 14 and Nate Duvert 12 while Robb Fitchlee (Kenmore West) was held to eight points for Fredonia, which finished the season at 16-10. Cortland (21-5) will face Brockport today for the championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III playoffs. . . . Two Daemen players -- Monty Montgomery (Bennett) and Adrian Baugh (Traditional) made first team All-NAC.

WOMEN'S SWIMMING: Ohio University took six of the eight events Friday night and opened a 56-point bulge in the team scoring over second-place Miami at the Mid-American Conference championships at the Alumni Arena Natatorium. The University at Buffalo stands in sixth place.

UB's Carrie Quinlan (North Tonawanda) set a school record in the morning preliminaries in the 100 butterfly with her clocking of 56.17. It bettered the time of Inger Rooneem (56.89 in 1998). Quinlan placed third in the evening finals with a clocking of 56.50.

MEN'S SWIMMING: UB stood in seventh place among 51 teams after the second day of the Eastern Collegiate Championships in Sewell, N.J. Jason McLachlan of the Bulls took fourth in the 400 individual medley in 4:04.12 and Erik Stimson (North Tonawanda) was fourth in the 100 backstroke in 51:41.

BASEBALL: Chris Begg allowed only three hits over his seven innings, striking out seven, as Niagara opened it season with a 6-0 triumph at the College of Charleston (S.C.).